What to do in Vatican and Rome in One Day?

I went on a solo backpacking trip to Italy for 3 days which began in Rome and ended in Milan. The first place I visited in Rome was Colosseum. 
Here's the thing. I had 1 day to visit Rome including the Vatican! So that's technically just half a day in Rome! Not much at all... But I did cramp as much as possible on this day trip to Rome! Here's all about it.

Solo trip to Rome | Visit Colosseum

Solo trip to Rome | Visit Colosseum

Solo trip to Rome | Visit Colosseum

Solo trip to Rome | Visit Colosseum

DAY TRIP TO ROME - WHAT NOT TO DO
If you're spending just 1 day in Rome, the most important thing to decide on your day trip to Rome is this - You can either do a tour of the Colosseum or a tour of the Vatican Museums, but not both. Each of these takes a minimum of 3 hours. Trying to see both Colosseum and Vatican Museums would just take your entire day and you wouldn't have a minute to see anything else, none of the other important Rome attractions and top places to visit in Rome. I chose to visit Vatican Museum instead of a tour of the Colosseum. 

MY BUDGET TRIP TO ITALY
I reached Rome through the Ciampino Airport which is located a bit away from the city and caters to low-cost airlines. From there the airport transfer bus left me at Roma Termini which is the main railway station in Rome. I took the 1-day transport pass and my first destination was Colosseum. All I had was one day in Rome and I already had my ticket to visit Florence that evening itself and my overnight stay was at Florence and not Rome! 

...Read on to know more about my whirlwind one day in Rome and Vatican...

THINGS TO DO IN HALF DAY IN ROME
ALSO, THE FREE THINGS TO DO IN ROME!

COLOSSEUM - UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN ITALY
The Colosseo Metro is bang in front of the monument. It was one humongous structure that filled my eyes as I got out of the station!!! I couldn't have asked for more... 
I had seen Colosseum in drawings, photos, and videos since childhood. It was one of the important topics in my uni days in art history. Honestly, till 2014, I had absolutely no clue I'd be able to travel to Europe. But then, there I was, with my Schengen Visa and there I saw one of the Medieval 7 Wonders of the World with my own eyes!!!
This was built by Vespasian in 72 AD and was inaugurated in 80AD and the cost of construction came from the loot of the Jewish war. It was a superstructure for the era with a height of 157ft and a circumference of 1788ft. Covering an area of 620ft x 513ft, and a central arena of 287ft x 180ft, it comfortably fits a football field. 
With 4 floors, varying in height from 34ft to 47ft, and each floor having 80 arches, it could hold 50,000 spectators at any given time. The first row of seating was 15ft from the arena floor. It was not just a 4 floored building but also has an underground floor & tunnels that held prisoners and animals. 
This was in active use till 6th C CE after which it went to disuse and got damaged in earthquakes and got quarried for other constructions. However, the ruins of its outermost wall can be still seen on the other side of the road!! I chose not to get into the Colosseum to save time to explore other places.

Where is Colosseum (on Google Maps)? Colosseum
How to reach Colosseum? The nearest metro stop is Colosseo which is just in front of the Colosseum
Colosseum Tickets: To begin with, it is absolutely free to visit Colosseum from the outside. You can't miss it. It is in the center of the city like the Tower of London or the Eiffel Tower (and unlike Stonehenge or the Taj Mahal which cannot be neared without a ticket).
You need to buy a ticket to go inside Colosseum. There are way too many sites that sell tickets for entry and I had a tough time figuring out which is real and which is fake, so let me make your life easier - Official Colosseum Tickets by CoopCulture. At any given point there can only be 3000 people inside the monument so it is pretty much impossible to get a ticket there. So pre-book as early as possible.
What are the types of Colosseum tickets - Updated in Jan 2023: 
Colosseum (excl. Arena & Underground), Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill ticket - €16 - Colosseum visit is a time-slot booking, the rest have validity for 24 hours
Colosseum (incl. Arena & Underground), Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill ticket€22 - Colosseum visit is a time-slot booking, the rest have validity for 48 hours
Guided tour of Colosseum (incl. Arena & Underground) Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill ticket - €34 - Language-specific, date-specific timeslot to be booked guided tour of Colosseum and an open tour of the rest.
Colosseum Timings: 9:00AM to 4:30PM (or 5:30-6:30 in Spring & Autumn or 7:15PM in Winter)

Visit Colosseum | Top Things to do in Rome

Visit Colosseum | Top Things to do in Rome

Visit Colosseum | Top Things to do in Rome

Free Things to do in Rome

ARCH OF CONSTANTINE
Just a few steps from Colosseum was the Arch of Constantine. This was built in 315 CE by Constantine I. This was built to commemorate Constantine’s victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge. Though it is big at 21m in height & 25m in width, it appears minuscule standing beside Colosseum.
There is a huge inscription on the top part of the arch that mentions his victory. There are 10 medallions of which 8 were originally from the Hadrian Monument which belonged to the 1st & 2nd C CE and do not exist today. There are 8 human sculptures on the topmost panel and 6 reliefs as well. Just below the medallion are some friezes. There are also some panels on the walls of the arches.
Though the Arch is open to view at any time, free of cost, it is not possible to go into the arches or touch them. There's fencing all around it.

Where is the Arch of Constantine(on Google Maps)? Arco di Costantino
How to reach the Arch of Constantine? The nearest metro stop is Colosseo which is just in front of the Colosseum
The Arch of Constantine Tickets: Free to see from outside. Inaccessible to go in or climb it.
The Arch of Constantine Timings: 24x7

Arch of Constantine | Free things to do in Rome

Arch of Constantine | Free things to do in Rome

Arch of Constantine | Free things to do in Rome

Arch of Constantine | Free things to do in Rome

ROMAN FORUM & PALATINE HILL
From the Colosseum & Arch of Constantine, I walked over to Palatine Hill. As I mentioned about this issue in my post on Copenhagen, almost each and every city in every European Nation, went through more than one major fire outbreak. 
Rome went through it in 64 CE and that happened here in Domus Aurea and Palatine Hill very close to where Emperor Nero's palace was situated. Originally, till 10 C BCE, this place was used as a burial ground and the surrounding places as a residential area with remains of huts, ceramics, etc. This is a trapezoidal area and was created as a business & marketplace.
By 509 BCE, this was a temple of Saturn, Castor & Pollux. By 2nd C CE, 4 basilicas were built here. It was on a portion of this area that the Colosseum was built. Just after that in 135 CE, the Temples of Venus and Rome were built. Much later during the period of Augustus Ceaser, this was expanded vastly with several monuments & marble flooring, etc. The last construction that took place here was the columns of Emperor Phocas in 604 CE. 
Just like Colosseum, I opted not to go inside this as well. However, since this has low fencing, it was possible to observe a lot from the outside itself! It reminded me much of the Roman monuments in Trier.

Where is Roman Forum & Palatine Hill (on Google Maps)? Foro Romano; Palatine Hill
How to reach Roman Forum & Palatine Hill? They are just around Colosseum. Hardly 2 minutes walk.
Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tickets: As I mentioned above, Roman Forum can be 'seen' from outside as well. If you have more than 1 day in Rome, you could go visit inside the Roman Forum & Palatine Hill.
What are the types of Roman Forum & Palatine Hill tickets - Updated in Jan 2023: 
All the 3 types of Colosseum tickets above include entry to Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
It is also possible to visit only Roman Forum & Palatine Hill if there are no Colosseum Tickets on the day you're visiting.
Roman Forum & Palatine Hill tickets via Coopculture - €18
Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Timings: 9:00AM to 4:30PM (or 5:30-6:30 in Spring & Autumn or 7:15PM in Winter)

Roman Forum | Palatine Hill | Things to do in Rome in Half Day

Roman Forum | Palatine Hill | Things to do in Rome in Half Day

Roman Forum | Palatine Hill | Things to do in Rome in Half Day

Roman Forum | Palatine Hill | Things to do in Rome in Half Day

TITUS ARCH AND CONVENTO St.BONAVERNTURA
From Palatine Hill, a walk on the Via Sacra took me to this arch called Titus Arch. This was built by Emperor Domitian in memory of his brother Titus in 81 CE. Though this too looks similar to the Arch of Constantine, this is in a much more in worse condition. This too has inscriptions and relief sculptures.
The view from Titus Arch of the Palatine Hill was spectacular. The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, followed by Santi Luca e Martina which are all inside Palatine Hill, and then the back view of the Altar of the Fatherland. Here I turned and continued to this was the quaint little church called Convento S Bonaventura built in 17th C CE, back closer to the Colosseum. By now, it was already time for me to head to the Vatican for my Musei Vaticani time-slot ticket.

Where is Titus Arch (on Google Maps)? Arco di Tito
Where is Convento S Bonaventura (on Google Maps)Church of San Bonaventura al Palatino

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN ROME
Since all I had was half a day obviously I missed way too much. One of the most important places I missed is the Trojan Column, an impeccably sculpted huge pillar, an important topic in art history. I've had a look at the life-size replica in V&A Museum in London, though. This is located further ahead of the Altar of the Fatherland.  
Other places I missed in this vicinity include the Pantheon, the Temple of Ceaser, another side of Domus Aurea, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Castel Sant'Angelo, Trajan's Market, Palazzo Valentini, Turtle Fountain, Piazza Venezia, and the list would just go on & on. That is exactly why you need at least 2 days in Rome or actually more!

Titus Arch | What to do in Rome in 4 hours | Half Day Rome Itinerary

Titus Arch | What to do in Rome in 4 hours | Half Day Rome Itinerary

Titus Arch | What to do in Rome in 4 hours | Half Day Rome Itinerary

Titus Arch | What to do in Rome in 4 hours | Half Day Rome Itinerary

VATICAN & ROME ITINERARY
Half-day Itinerary in Rome (rest half day in the Vatican)
Opt 1 - Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill from outside (same as I did)
Opt 2 - Colosseum, take the metro to Roma Termini and then to Barberini. See Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and if possible Castel Sant'Angelo. (You're just 1km from the Vatican when you're at Castel Sant'Angelo).

One-day Itinerary in Rome (another day for the Vatican)
Morning: Do a self-guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill,
Afternoon: Walk around Rome and see Domus Area, Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli, Arch of Constantine,  Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, Baths of Caracalla etc from outside.

Two-days Itinerary in Rome (another day for the Vatican)
Day 1 - Same as above but skip Castel Sant'Angelo.
Day 2 - Do a tour of Castel Sant'Angelo and Musei Capitolini.

TIPS TO VISIT ROME
Local transport in Rome: The best way to explore Rome is by taking the 1-day transport pass. Though the Vatican is a separate nation and not a part of Rome, don't worry, for all practical purposes, the Schengen Visa and this transport pass are enough to access the Vatican.
Drinking water: Water costs soooo much! Half a liter of water costs 2 Euros anywhere here. Wherever you're staying, try to fill up your bottles there before you set your foot out.
Street food in Rome: As a vegetarian, the place I love, in Europe, for food, is Italy. There's a huge variety of vegetarian street food available in little shops & kiosks all around the Colosseum including slices of Pizza or Foccacia. 

BUY YOUR TICKETS TO ROME ATTRACTIONS HERE


DAY TRIPS & WEEKEND TRIPS FROM ROME
Italy is pretty well connected by railway lines and it is quick and easy to travel across the country by train. Here are some easy day trips and weekend trips you could do taking the train from Rome.
Rome to Florence - Direct train - Takes about 1:30 hours
Rome to Pisa - Direct train takes about 4 hours. A high-speed train to Florence and then another train to Pisa takes about 2:30 hours.
Rome to Milan - Direct train - Takes about 3:30 hours
Rome to Turin - Direct train - Takes about 4:30 hours
Rome to Lake Maggiore - Train to Milan and then another train to Stresa/Arona takes about 5 hours.

4 hours in Rome Pinterest Historic City Center of Rome UNESCO Pinterest


Bhushavali

An ardent traveler by passion. Being an ex - Art History Teacher, my area of interest especially lies in Nature and Heritage. Visited 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites as of June 2022. I've been listed among the Top 7 Women Travel Bloggers of India, Top 50 in UK. I have been interviewed in a couple of TV Shows, Radio Channels and Events as well. Read more about me and read the testimonials of different brands

33 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your tips for Rome. Especially about the tickets and water cost. I went there in 2006 and I remember it being like that. The pictures brought back som great memories for me so thanks for sharing!

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  2. What an adventure! We took the kids on their very first international experience. We loved it, as you did!! Thanks for all the tips and information. Your photos are lovely!! Perfect for daydreaming of a visit to Rome!

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  3. Yes, the Colosseum is a magical place to explore. I found it incredible that a place so old was still standing today. If the walls could talk, the incredible stories you'd hear.

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  4. Thanks for sharing your tips! The colosseum is such an interesting place to visit and your pictures are bringing back a lot of memories. So true about the cost of water haha, did you see any of the fountains for drinking water? They are a life saver!

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  5. I love the architecture of the Colosseum, but didn't know much about its history. I can't believe it could hold 50,000 people! And to think they had all sorts of wild animals there as well!

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  6. This brings back great memories for me. We went to Rome several years ago and I was blown away by the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Great tips too about buying tickets in advance. I wished I would have known that before we went and stood in line for an hour! Ha!

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  7. Thanks for bringing back memories of our honeymoon in Rome. Seeing the Colosseum for the first time was also an awesome moment for me and my wife. The sense of history in Italy is simply so palpable.

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  8. I am inspired to travel solo in Europe too after reading your article. I still need to apply for a Schengen visa. I hope that the process will be okay. I like to visit Italy. There are so many tourist destinations that I want to see like the Colosseum. There is so much history. I have seen that in so many photos and movies.

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  9. I have seen Colosseum many times on the history books and TV, but I forget so much of its history. I did not know that the funds for building the Colosseum were coming from the Jewish War. Thanks for offering info and tips for getting real tickets and the monument, and $2 for a bottle of water is indeed very expensive.

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  10. Ah man I'm so jealous. Rome has been on my bucket list for years. I admire you for traveling there alone. Looks like you had a lovely time. The city is so rich with history!

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  11. You are lucky you get to see this iconic landmark for yourself! I've always wanted to go and thanks for your insights, I can take those with me on my travel there on the future. Your photos are beautiful and capture just how awe-inspiring this structure is!

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  12. More than the photos of the majestic Colloseum, i love your tips better! they are so useful, esp the tip about water and the tickets. i hope I get to see these soon!

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  13. I've always wanted to visit Rome. Thanks for sharing your tips here especially on where to buy tickets. Like you, I've also learned to fill up my own reusable water bottle when traveling. It's not just cheaper, but you'd generate less waste too. :-)

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  14. I have always wanted to visit the Colosseum! It looks so amazing! The architecture is so stunning and it's incredible it could hold 50k people at any time! It looks like there are a ton of people though

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  15. I just checked if the Colosseum was a UNESCO site and although it's not, the whole historic center of Rome is, so technically the Colosseum is? I visited the Colosseum quite a few years ago and was disappointed with inside so you didn't miss anything, actually I only went inside because a Bruce Lee and a Van Damme movie were filmed there. Water is expensive at 2 euros a bottle, I think risked the tap water there.

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  16. This is still on my list! I was pretty surprised to read that "ONLY" 3000 people are allowed in at once - that sounds like a big number to me but I guess with how big it is, that's not a lot. Thanks for including the website for buying tickets online. I know I would've gotten confused about which site is real and which is fake.

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  17. 3 day trip, Sounds intense, did you manage to see a lot in Milan too? Which one did you like more? I have been only for one day in Italy and seen Verona only. Somehow don't feel attracted to this part of EU (and my wallet either hhh)

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  18. I was so underwhelmed by the Colosseum when I went, I couldn't wait to leave. The tour was so long that we left our group and just explored our self. I guess since I am not a history buff or lover of architecture I just don't have an appreciation for this. To each their own though. Great post!!

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  19. I remember when we visited the Colosseum, the place was packed because there were some sort of parade going on. Which made us return the following day early morning to get a good view of it and enjoy it with less crowd.

    Liz Gen | fatmoments.com

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  20. 2 Euros for half a litre of water? How will I ever travel to Europe if water is gold there?! You have given fine description of the Colosseum and the Arch Of Constantine and attached great pictures! I wish you had more than 3 days for this trip!

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  21. Am telling you, each time am seeing the Colosseum on television, blogs and my favorite movies, I always felt dreamy. It is one of the place I would like to visit someday :)

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  22. What a magneficient structure! Visiting the Colosseum has been a long time dream, it has so much history and beauty.

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  23. I also enjoyed Rome and the Colosseum - I was lucky to get in just by standing in the line and buy the ticket right there... Although I dislike overcrowded places, I must admit Rome and the Colosseum are so impressive! It's a must see!

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  24. I look forward to reading the rest of your posts on Rome. I cherished my time at the Colosseum. I felt like I was walking back into history. So seeing your photos reminded me of that feeling all over again.

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  25. This one is on my list from a long time because of the beautiful architecture and design it has with a history.

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  26. Thanks for all those tips... Rome is definitely one beautiful city. The best part is that you can do it by foot... just like a massive open air museum! ;-)

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  27. Who wouldn't want to visit the colosseum. I am hoping that one day, Ill have eurotrip of my own too.

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  28. Rome is a mecca for massive medieval architecture. Hope to visit there soon! I've heard about Colosseum that crowd acts like cattle. Is it true?

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  29. When in Rome, do as the Roman does! I hope to have a closer look at the human sculptures! Do you have a close-up photo of it or is the one you posted the clearest?

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  30. Rome is an awesome place and has so much to offer! Your post is very informative!

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  31. wow this place looks really amazing.. I hope i get to visit thisplace.. made me remember a movie i watch back when i was a kid.. the setting really looks somewhat like this place :)

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  32. Even I have been watching this pic since childhood and sooo want to visit it. Water so costly?! Hmmm, good to know and keep in mind.

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  33. I really envy you for you have been traveling a lot to the different countries. I have never been to Italy yet and this post remind me of my long dream to visit that Colosseum for I have seen that one since when I was in grade school. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Someday, I get to visit this as well. Thank you for inspiring me.

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